Wreaths Across America Visits Thorne Middle School Wednesday

A national remembrance of U.S. service members is making a stop at Thorne Middle School this week as it heads toward Arlington National Cemetery.

Wreaths Across America will visit the Port Monmouth school—named for a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient—on Wednesday, Dec. 11 for a 10:45 a.m. program, organizers said. The school is inviting all community members to line Murphy Road with American flags to serve as a greeting to the convoy escorted by New Jersey State Police and Patriot Guard Riders.

The Middle School, which is home to the World War II Battle of the Bulge monument previously located at Fort Monmouth, is named for Cpl. Horace “Bud” Thorne, who was killed during that Dec. 1944 battle. Each holiday season, Wreaths Across America aims to honor and remember service members by placing 500,000 wreaths at the cemetery.

Thorne is the only school in New Jersey named for a Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient, organizers said.

In addition to American Gold Star Families, those scheduled to appear at the middle school include Morrill and Karen Worcester, founder and executive director (respectively) of Wreaths Across America, Maine’s First Lady Ann LePage and active and retired military personnel including Battle of the Bulge survivors, organizers said.

In preparation of the event, 800 flags were delivered to the school by leaders from VFW Post No. 2179 and American Legion Post No. 515. They visited Thorne with the delivery last week.

Following the program at Thorne, the convoy will continue to Liberty State Park in Jersey City, its only other stop in New Jersey.